Comments on: Amusing Car Insurance Ad

By: signaturenotreq

signaturenotreq — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:59:57 +0000

Yes.
Insurance only has to pay for the cost to repair the car, or the actual cash value (whichever is lower). If the car was a 2003 and was totalled (meaning the ACV is lower than the repairs), then that is all they have to pay.
You should see how much it would cost to fix, it may be only slightly higher than the amount they paid you (unless the car is really totalled beyond fixing).
Otherwise, unfortunately, this is the way that it is. They are paying you for what is a close estimate to what it would cost to replace a 2003 Honda SUV.
You could try to pursue his insurance company for the extra money (some people will tell you to hire a lawyer and do this), but it won't work. The laws are straightforward on the totalling of a vehicle and the right of the insurance company to do this.
Sorry, I can't give you a secret way around it, but what they are doing is the way that the laws are.

By: Good_Boy

Good_Boy — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:09:03 +0000

By: Cuddly Lez

Cuddly Lez — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:45:52 +0000

my daughter lives there ans she pays 85 dollars a month thats high though

By: ღღღ

ღღღ — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:44:55 +0000

Well, sorry to say, but to get some idea of a price for insurance, you really need to know what kind of car. Find a couple you like and might be able to afford and call around. The best place to start is your parent's auto ins. company, especially at your age. Pretty much anything is going to be high at your age.

Here's what you need for an auto quote – name, date of birth, soc. sec. #, address, type of car, & coverages you want. You do NOT WANT TO POST SUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION IN AN OPEN FORUM LIKE THIS. I am an agent in Tennessee and unless you live in TN, my rates would be meaningless. As far as the convertible goes, it probably would be higher, most convertibles are. COLOR DOES NOT MATTER.

By: Made in the 80s

Made in the 80s — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:06:47 +0000

If you or an immediate family member served in the military you would qualify for USAA which I understand offers good rates & excellent service. GEICO also offers good rates. The only concern I would have about those two are they are primarily accessible only by 800 numbers – this means you might talk to one really great person and then later not be able to talk to him/her again.

Progressive from what I understand offers good rates – and if you have a pet, offers coverage on their medical expenses in the event of an accident at no extra charge. Am not certain what their service is like.

Although Allstate may offer good rates – and displays teaser ads on this site, I would avoid them if possible. I know of a couple people personally who have seen its "good hands" turn into clenched fists when they needed to file claims – and had to retain attorneys to obtain settlements – more cases like this can be found at http://www.allstatesucks.com.

Nationwide offers good rates and good service – I know from a colleague who has used them for years.

State Farm may offer good rates; they do provide excellent service. As a bonus, they occasionally pay dividends. This is my carrier – they were significantly cheaper than Allstate in my case – and enjoy a better reputation.

These carriers are direct writers – meaning their agents write policies exclusively for them. They get paid straight salary plus commission. However, you may also want to check with an independent agent who can provide quotes from several carriers. The only downside is that independent agents only get paid by commissions, so if the most expensive carrier pays the most commissions, there could be a tendancy to steer you towards that carrier.

Finally, you may want to go to your local library to consult back issues of Consumer Reports. Periodically, they have their subscribers complete a survey detailing their experiences with carriers and by doing so rate them. The magazine also gives advice on purchasing this kind of coverage. Also, check with your state insurance department to see if the carrier you are considering has had any nightmarish complaints registered against them.

Good luck!

By: mandy

mandy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:40:22 +0000

Your folks will have to get a quote from their insurance company. There are far too many variables to give you any kind of a meaningful estimate. Much of it will depend upon the car but your location is a major factor as well.

By: tasha

tasha — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:05:29 +0000

do you have car insurance? if so, check to see if your insurance will transfer to a rental. if not or if you do not have insurance, you will need to take out their insurance.

By: kd m

kd m — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:51:58 +0000

they are self insured and have 3rd party claims administrators handle their claims. you need to contact budget and get the info from them.

By: Me

Me — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:00:59 +0000

I recommend to all of my customers that are in the market for a new car to call and get quotes. Every vehicle can change the total premium. The VIN# is what it gives the insurance companies the details about the vehicle. There are some options when it comes to paying for the policy. The best would be to pay in full for the term (usually companies will give you a better discount for that) Progressive does. Then the next option is to make monthly payments. Look for a company that have extra benefits. Like moving the due date, electronic payments, web site, etc. (You may not think you need those but there are so many people that their policy's haven't been canceled because their insurance company offered this option)

This is the vehicle information you need for a quote:
1. Year
2. Make
3. Model
4. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN#)